The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1887-11-12
COAST DEFENSES.

AT last we nave luS iOooOAS IVA
the abandonment of Fort Candy. Our
readers can judge for themselves as
to their soundness.
We view them as no reasons at all.
1t would appear as though the IN
spector on whose adverse report is
based the order for the removal, ar
rived here with preconceived notions,
and had virtually decided upon the
report before he saw the premises.
We have no desire to be unjust,
but it certainly looks that way. de
says 1.-The flagstaff even is not dis
cernible." Here it is evident that
the officers and soldiers quarters and
the battery proper we're so mixed In
the officers mind that he did not dis
tinguish. A flagstaff is different from
a gun, and bears about the same re-
lation to it that a saddle does to a
horse. Probably If that erudite Off
Ger were to see a cayalcade of wild
horses careering over South Amer
lean pampa he would report no horses
in that vicinity because seven sad
die was not discernible."
As matter of fact the officers and
soldiers were properly stationed on
the lee side of the lofty headland that
frowns on the north side of our noble
river and the guns were above them,
commanding the entrance to the Co
lumbia.
Probably the officer thought that
the garrison, officers and all, should
have lived in the topmost peak of the
light house and should have kept a
constant detail waving defantly an
American flag that could have been
seen at all hours of daylight twenty
miles out to sea.
The officer seems to have put more
faith in the flag than he did in the
guns, but the guns were in proper
place, and so was the flag.
A more plausible reason appears in
the change of the channel But this,
too, upon examination, falls to the
ground When the fort was built it
was claimed by those opposed to it
then, that the channel ran so near the
base of the cliff that the muzzles Of the
guns would have to be depressed to
an angle of rs degrees to hit floating
enemy. Now, forsooth, we are told
that the channel has gone too far
away, when it has been alleged that
a. at present, the guns at Candy
would have little difficulty in ranging
an object the size of a vessel in any
channel or entrance to or from the
Columbia river.
Is q. S. ordnance stamped good
only on certain conditions of river
channels?' This objection like the
other is untenable.
1t certainly seems as though the
whole business was fixed up before
hand, and that nothing was wanted
but an excuse.
And now that the fort has been
abandoned, there is but one thing for
citizens of Oregon and Washington to
do-unite in an effort to have proper
defenses, properly manned by troops
on either or both sides of the entrance
to the Columbia.
There is good deal of present at
tention being directed to our defence
less coasts. In his report of our in
adequate coast defences, Admiral Por-
ter, in his report to the secretary OF
war, just made public, recommends
an expenditure during the next fiscal
year of 81. .840,O 600, which it is proposed
to divide among the ports as follows:
New York, S69O,0O0; San Francisco.
S460yOOO; Boston, S2SO,OOO; Hampton
Roads, S250,000; New Orleans. S2lO.-
oO0; Philadelphia, $4,000; Washing
ton, $4,000; Baltimore, $4,000; Port
land, Me-, S29O,OOO; Narragansett bay,
S290,000. The plan also contemplates
the preparation of casemates, cable
shafts, etc, to the number of twenty
six, distributed as follows: At New
York, 5; at San Francisco, 5; at Bos-
ton, s; at Hampton, 2; at Philadelphia,
2; at Washington, L; at Baltimore, /:
at Portland. Me-. 8; at Narragansett
bay, 2
In this list the Columbia river or
the northwest Pacific coast does not
appear.
1t is for us to make proper repre-
sentation regarding this important
matter. Senator Dolph is chairman
OF the committee on Notifications and
coast defences; the other two mem
bers OF our congressional delegation
can exercise their influence, and by
concerted action here and in Washing
ton, justice; however tardy, can be Sc
cured for this important section OF the